After a woman passenger wearing traditional Islamic dress was turned away, the public bus system in this Michigan city said Friday it will end its rule keeping those with face coverings from boarding public transit vehicles.

System administrators said the refusal in July was an isolated incident.

A driver told the unidentified woman she would have to uncover her face to ride, but she was able to board another bus that same day. She reported the incident to bus system administrators, transit officials told The Grand Rapids Press newspaper.

Busing officials regret that the woman was turned away and have apologized to her, Rapid spokeswoman Jennifer Kalczuk said.

She said the original order was a security issue, so that an on-board camera system could help identify riders in the event of a disturbance. She said religious dress or other coverings were not considered.

Debbie Mageed, an area Islamic activist, said she appreciated Rapid's response.

"We can't expect all public domains to be aware of these situations until they actually come up," said Mageed, who wears a head covering but not a facial veil. "As long as it doesn't happen again, I'll feel like they were sincere in their efforts to revise their policy."

I just finished America Alone by Steyn...THIS INCIDENT IS INSANE!!!!!!!

We need to stop this now! If she wants to wear her bizzare covering, have one of her brothers drive her wherever, or f....g walk.If she got on a bus I was on, I really would start something, Like go back to where you came from. This is america!!! aND SOME OTHER NAMES!

If there are valid security reasons for requiring passengers to show their faces (and it appears there are in this case), then the city should in no way compromise the issue. Amazing! Want to rob a bank? No problem. Just wear a burka.

What we are sliding into is a realization that PC is eventually going to cause some serious cultural issues concerning how the Muslims assimilate INTO American culture, They will assimilate or be a permanent under class.

We are a long way off from being overrun by Muslims as a society.

Remember, when and if we are attacked again from radical Muslims, we will see Muslim mass assimilation into American culture as to not be targeted as radicals.

8
posted on 12/09/2006 5:48:32 PM PST
by Popman
("What I was doing wasn't living, it was dying. I really think God had better plans for me.")

"We the People" are going to be forced into getting directly involved to insure that we do not "slide into mecca". Obviously, our "elected leaders" are not inclined to keep us safe from harm...so it will be up to us to do it. What form the direct involvement will be is unclear...but when the car bombs start going off, the fog will lift and the path will become absolutely clear.

they don't want to get sued. I suggest that more people try wearing a balaclava and board the bus, and see what happens. Unfortunately, Americans have turned into wimpy, emasculated morons to a startling degree, and will hardly raise a whimper.

City officials should've thought about that before they made the "no face covering" rule in the first place. It's only when one of the city workers (the bus driver in question) actually enforced the rule that the officials got scared of lawsuits. Not exactly the sharpest group around.

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